Comments on: Empathy: A Foreign Word In Health Care? http://www.nursinghometalk.com/blog/2009/07/14/empathy-a-foreign-word-in-health-care/ Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:52:16 +0000 hourly 1 By: A. http://www.nursinghometalk.com/blog/2009/07/14/empathy-a-foreign-word-in-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-254 A. Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:59:59 +0000 http://www.nursinghometalk.com/?p=394#comment-254 I empathize with you. In a formerly notable long term care facility in CA, a physician took one look at my mother's chart and said aloud to me, in front of her, she's a code? My mother was 95, alert, and simply suffering from a UTI. She immediately became frightened. This rationalization of health care based on age is a pervasive mindset on the part of the physicians and administrators of the facility, and leaves no room for ethics or morality in the discussion. I empathize with you. In a formerly notable long term care facility in CA, a physician took one look at my mother’s chart and said aloud to me, in front of her, she’s a code?
My mother was 95, alert, and simply suffering from a UTI. She immediately became frightened. This rationalization of health care based on age is a pervasive mindset on the part of the physicians and administrators of the facility, and leaves no room for ethics or morality in the discussion.

]]> By: Carlyn http://www.nursinghometalk.com/blog/2009/07/14/empathy-a-foreign-word-in-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-157 Carlyn Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:28:58 +0000 http://www.nursinghometalk.com/?p=394#comment-157 This is a very touching and tragic story. It's always surprising to me how much physicians can vary in their quality of patient interactions. Definitely something that needs improvement This is a very touching and tragic story. It’s always surprising to me how much physicians can vary in their quality of patient interactions. Definitely something that needs improvement

]]> By: Erin Blakely http://www.nursinghometalk.com/blog/2009/07/14/empathy-a-foreign-word-in-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-118 Erin Blakely Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:22:17 +0000 http://www.nursinghometalk.com/?p=394#comment-118 Thanks, David for sharing your story. I really like your perspective, and am so glad to hear your wife's grandmother was able to see your daughter grow up. It's always wonderful to hear success stories. Best wishes to you! Thanks, David for sharing your story. I really like your perspective, and am so glad to hear your wife’s grandmother was able to see your daughter grow up. It’s always wonderful to hear success stories. Best wishes to you!

]]> By: David R. Campbell, RN, MS, NHA http://www.nursinghometalk.com/blog/2009/07/14/empathy-a-foreign-word-in-health-care/comment-page-1/#comment-116 David R. Campbell, RN, MS, NHA Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:12:28 +0000 http://www.nursinghometalk.com/?p=394#comment-116 I was "grabbed" by the comment that the radiologist wouldn't be trying that hard... My wife's grandmother was told that she only had one year to live when my daughter was less than 6 months old. She went to a different doctor and hospital for a 2nd opinion. That doctor told her he thought he could give her a better life for the time she had left, and may even be able to cure her. Long story short, she died when my daughter was 18... years which were productive and happy ones for all around her. The worst part for me is that I talked to the original doctor who convinced me there was nothing left to do. One of my wife's "hick" relatives convinced her not to give up and to at least get a second opinion! That "hick" didn't hold it against me luckily! I was “grabbed” by the comment that the radiologist wouldn’t be trying that hard… My wife’s grandmother was told that she only had one year to live when my daughter was less than 6 months old. She went to a different doctor and hospital for a 2nd opinion. That doctor told her he thought he could give her a better life for the time she had left, and may even be able to cure her. Long story short, she died when my daughter was 18… years which were productive and happy ones for all around her.

The worst part for me is that I talked to the original doctor who convinced me there was nothing left to do. One of my wife’s “hick” relatives convinced her not to give up and to at least get a second opinion! That “hick” didn’t hold it against me luckily!

]]>